Numb
by Jenfur Lee
Summary: Sequel to Unbreakable. Bella & Edward have taken their relationship to the next level, but when Sylar gets wind of Bella's ability their entire relationship takes a turn for the worst. Will they be able to work it out, or will Edward leave her for good?
1. Only One

This is a rough beginning on the sequel to my other story, "Unbreakable". If you haven't done so, I suggest you read it because it would make better sense that way. I'm still working out the details, but I just had to write a little bit to see how you guys felt about this. PLEASE let me know! Review!! I'll try to keep my updates as often as possible!

Enjoy,

Jenfur Lee

****Oh, and I don't own Heroes or Twilight or any of the characters from the aforementioned works of television/literature. I just came up with a crazy idea and put it down. Consider yourself warned.****

Chapter One: Only One

It had been almost a seven-hour shift at the store when I had finally gotten cut. After stowing my apron and clocking out, I quickly made my way to the front muttering goodbyes to my coworkers. Spending seven hours stocking shelves and checking out unhappy customers was not what I considered a good day, but at least it was a paycheck. Once my feet finally hit the pavement outside, I heaved a huge sigh finally able to relax. As I made my way toward the back where my truck was parked, I spotted the sight of a familiar silver Volvo parked close by. Even after my awful day at work, I could still manage a smile when I saw him leaning against the truck casually. It had been going on five months now and I had never been happier than when I was with Edward Cullen. Although my legs were stiff from standing all day, I ditched my bag nearby and ran the rest of the way launching myself into his arms. His arms wrapped around me and supported me with ease. I loved that I didn't have to be gentle with him.

"Well, hello to you too," His voice rang into my ear as I buried my face against his cool neck. He was chuckling softly at my display of affection. I couldn't bring myself to respond as I locked my fingers together around his neck not daring to let go. Nothing made me feel better after a long day that seeing him or being with him. It was as if instantly all the strife of the day had evaporated away into vapor. "I take it we didn't have a good day today at Newton's Olympic Outfitters, did we?" He added after a few minutes of me breathing in sync with him.

"Just very long. I'm glad to see you though. I thought you didn't get back until tomorrow?" I finally raised my head from his neck and stared into his soft caramel eyes. It had felt like ages since I had seen him. Over the summer his family's "camping trips" became longer and took place more often. I think it had been nearly a week since I had been in his arms. And even longer since he had stayed in my bed.

"I couldn't bear to be away from you any longer," He spoke before pressing his lips against mine. His hands were still resting against the small of my back while my legs and arms hooked around his entire body. "Carlisle and everyone else are still away though. I was wondering if you would come over tonight?" His voice became much more anxious when he asked as if he thought I would turn him down. Truth is I cherished every moment I had with him. Every car ride or warm embrace I welcomed with open arms.

"I'd love to, but I have to meet Charlie at the diner first. Think you can hold out an hour more? I'll be swift." Although it pained me to say, I knew I couldn't ditch Charlie on a Wednesday night. It had sort of become a ritual for us to meet up at the diner after we both got off work when I worked later.

"Hm… I _guess_ one more hour won't kill me," he joked setting me down on the ground carefully keeping his arms secured around me. "Your boss was staring, and I didn't want to get you in any trouble," he answered my question before I had even ask.

"I don't care. They know I'm with you." I stood on my toes in order to kiss him lightly on the lips. "I should probably get going though. I'll meet you at your house?"

"I'll be waiting for you," His voice purred seductively against my ear sending shivers down my spine. My eyes fluttered closed as I tried desperately to maintain focus. My will power was fading fast as I felt his fingertips run slow circles against my back. Somehow I managed to find the strength to pull myself apart from him and pick up my discarded bag. Before I could slip into my truck, he pressed his lips against my forehead lingering for a while. "I love you," he whispered brushing his index finger along my jaw line.

"I love you more." My lips broke into a full smile as I climbed into my truck and eased my car out of its space. When I made my way out of the parking lot, I couldn't help but glance back in my rearview mirror at the boy I was going to spend the entire night with. My heart fluttered with anticipation when his lips also broke into a full grin. I just hoped I could make it through an hour dinner with Charlie.


	2. Modern Romance

Chapter Two: Modern Romance

By the time I had made it to the diner, Charlie was already seated in our usual booth near the window with his after work beer in hand. He looked extremely tired from his long day. I quickly took the seat in front of him storing my bag beside me. I didn't even bother to glance at the menu. I had thrown my hair up in a messy ponytail figuring there was no salvaging it for the rest of the evening. While waiting for our "usuals" to arrive, we had the mandatory conversation that we had grown so accustomed to over the last month or so.

"Hey, I was going to go over to Edward's after this if that's cool. He's been gone all week and wanted to hang out for a while." I realized my words were more of a statement than a question of permission. The good thing about Charlie was he never doubted my judgment. I suppose he figured any teenager that could take care of my mother for an extended period of time had a pretty good head on her shoulders.

"Be home at a decent time. You work tomorrow?" He grumbled pushing his mashed potatoes around his plate.

"I actually switched with Mike because I knew Edward would be getting back from his trip. We were going to have a movie marathon at the house all day. I'll be back to make dinner though." I sipped generously on my straw quenching my thirst with the ice cold Coke.

"Well good. I invited someone over for dinner. I knew you wouldn't mind. He's a newbie down at the station. He lives alone, I figured we could show him a little hospitality," his voice informed me of his plans. In my head I began to make possible menus for our guest knowing I'd have to stop at the store some time between now and tomorrow night. We were always running low on groceries since I started at Outfitters.

"That's a great idea, dad. I'd be happy to." My eyes glanced at the nearest clock realizing my hour was running up quickly, and I still had to go home and change. "I better get going, I promised." I bit into one last fry before tugging my bag over my shoulder and hugging Charlie lightly. "I'll see you later." I muttered before walking hurriedly out to my truck.

At home I showered rapidly before tugging on a pair of sweats and a camisole. Before dashing out the door for the second time that day, I shrugged on a hooded sweatshirt and made my way to Edward's house already a half hour late. On the drive over, I prayed he wouldn't be too offended by my tardiness. He understood how rare it was for Charlie and I to spend time with one another. I think Charlie realized how much I cherished being with Edward. He had even commented on how my mood had changed drastically since when I first arrived in Forks what had seemed like ages ago. Whenever I thought about him, I couldn't do anything to keep my smile at bay.

Once my car was stowed safely in their rounded driveway, I went in through the front door without waiting for permission knowing it would be opened for me. The lower level showed no signs of life. All the lights were off and the stereo was unusually silent. I carefully made my way towards the staircase holding the railing with one hand.

"Edward?" I questioned into the darkness. At the top of the stairs, I noticed the sliver of light peeking out from the farthest door to the right. My heart began to thud in anticipation. I knew he could probably hear each and every one of my heart's flutters. He was probably laughing to himself that I still felt this way around him. I inched my way down the hall before placing my hand against the door noticing it was slightly cracked open. After taking a deep breath, I pushed it open revealing a bit more of the room each second before the door was completely ajar. I couldn't stop the gasp from escaping my lips. My hand automatically flew to my face to try to cover up the noise I had made. My eyes danced over the state of Edward's room. Instead of its usual sparseness, the majority of the center of the room was taken up by a large bed. Edward lounged on it lazily reading a worn manuscript atop the luxurious silk sheets. I noticed the corners of his lips tug upwards as he continued to read.

"Something wrong?" He questioned keeping his eyes on his reading.

"You didn't have to do this. What are you going to do with a bed, Edward?" I reminded him about the uselessness of a vampire possessing such lavish sleeping quarters considering he would never actually sleep in it.

"Before you start that, please have a seat." His fingertips softly patted the open space next to him beckoning me to join him. Slowly I crawled onto the large bed and laid my head against the copious amounts of pillows. I had never felt so relaxed in my entire life. This monstrosity put my bed back at home to shame. I had begun to realize how exhausted I was from my long day. Edward had leaned over stowing his book on his desk before turning back to me lying closer. He sighed resting his hands against his stone-like stomach. "Now do you understand the reason to my madness?" He questioned his voice almost purring it was so low. His stereo had been on quietly the entire time shuffling through his unlimited play list.

"This is nice," I spoke softly as I felt myself sink into the comfortable folds of the down comforter beneath the silk.

"_Nice?_" Before I could respond, he had rolled to rest above me with my hands pinned on either side of my head. I could feel his hips press down so lightly against mine. "I think it's a little better than _nice_. I was more looking for spectacular, unbelievable, magnificent." With each word, his face seemed to lower down closer and closer to mine. The fluttering of my heart had only increased at this point. I knew he could hear my excitement judging by the coy smile that was curling up on the corners of his lips. He was too good. And he knew it too. It was a wonder I could even keep up with his actions sometimes.

"I-I-I just mean, it's…unnecessary. You'll never be able to sleep in it, so why should you invest so much in something like this?" I stammered over my words trying to find a good excuse. As I spoke, his lips had made their way against my ear humming ever so slightly.

"I wasn't planning on using it for sleeping, Bella." My heart surged upwards in my chest skipping a beat. I wondered what it must have been like to hear how crazy he made me. I just wished there was a way to know that I made him feel the same way. Words had escaped me at this point as I laid with my lips parted slightly searching for something. It was rare that he was the one insinuating. Usually I was the one trying to convince him. His new confidence was doing a number on keeping my breathing even. I felt his lips brush over my jaw line tracing it to my chin before he began placing kisses upwards to my lips.

"I-I can't be home too late, Charlie-" I managed to mutter with his lips almost touching mine. They were so close I could feel the chill radiating off of them.

"I know," he interrupted before his lips finally met mine passionately. My mind began to fade as I let my body take control of my actions letting my fingers sift into his hair tugging slightly. Within seconds I had fully submitted to instinct as my eyes fluttered closed.

When I finally stirred, the room was completely dark except for the soft light from Edward's stereo. Slowly my mind and body reconnected as I realized I was resting against his cool chest. Gently I let my lips plant a series of kisses just below his collarbone. Although I knew my hair must have looked a mess, I didn't care as my body pressed tightly against his.

"What's the verdict?" He cooed softly brushing his fingertips over my elbow in a soft pattern. I knew the bed would do nothing but take up pointless space for him, but he had done a fine job of convincing me it was essential.

"I'm pretty sure it's mandatory." My voice came out breathlessly. I didn't want to tear myself away from him, but I knew that even as lenient as Charlie was, he wouldn't feel comfortable with me spending the night at Edward's. I sighed loudly debating whether or not it was worth an argument.

"Let's get you home, love," He answered my thoughts effortlessly. I slowly began to redress unenthusiastically trying to delay my departure for as long as possible. In the time it took me to slide on my shirt, he had already finished and was waiting patiently against the foot of the bed.

"Tell me again why I'm going home?" I mumbled slipping back into my sweats, which were thrown to the other end of his room. Once I had finished redressing, he scooped me into his arms pressing his lips against my temple soothing any worries I had. I couldn't help the soft coo that escaped my throat as he kept his lips against my pressure point. He knew exactly how to make me melt in his arms. I was in the passenger seat of my truck before I could mutter another word of protest.

Although it was hard for me to leave him at the end of the night, driving back to my house was one of my favorite parts of the evening. We always kept the windows rolled down allowing the summer air to flow throughout the bed of the truck. My ancient radio was set to oldies as we cruised the completely emptied streets. The streetlights flashed symbolizing the lateness of the hour. And Edward positioned just so one hand held the wheel, his other interlaced with mine. I always silently thanked the slowness of my engine compared to his Volvo. This way the ride was drawn out even longer. Even as my eyes drifted closed from the soothing motions of the truck, I always could tell by the turns he took when we had made it to our destination. I never dared opened my eyes once we had pulled into the driveway knowing that once we were safely stowed away, his fingertips would gently graze my cheek as he planted a soft kiss against my forehead.

"I'll see you tomorrow, darling," he whispered so quietly as I managed to make my way into the house only to crash in my bed minutes later. As I began to fade between consciousness and dreaming, I felt my blanket slowly being brought over my body. "I love you."

"I love you," I cooed half awake. I didn't have to open my eyes to know he was smiling as he silently slipped out of my window. I fell asleep to the sound of my wind chimes tinkling softly in the summer breeze.

****Sorry that an update has taken so long! I'm in the middle of a move! I hope you're still interested in where things are going with this!! Review! Let me know! I'd love to hear from you!****

Jenfur Lee


	3. Perfect Stranger

****I know this has been a little slow moving compared to my first, but I've been going through a move so please bear with me. It'll start getting good soon, I promise!****

Enjoy,

Jenfur Lee

Chapter Three: Perfect Strangers

By the time I had woken up the next morning, Edward had left a folded up sheet of paper against my nightstand with my name scribed on the outside in his brilliant handwriting. Biting back a smile, I carefully plucked it off the table letting my eyes adjust to the influx of light.

My dearest Bella,

Unfortunately Carlisle has decided to take over the house for research today. It would make me feel more at ease to postpone our meeting until later for your safety. I'll explain more later.

I love you,

Edward

I did my best not to let the change in plans effect my mood. We had been seeing a lot of each other throughout the summer even with my work schedule and his hunting trips. It seemed as if they liked to venture out further during the summer. It had been their way of life for longer than I had been alive. I had to respect their traditions. It was just painful to be away from him. Although I had attempted to push everything from my mind, the fact that it had been the first time he had canceled plans on me made me feel uneasy. Ever since the incident with James last spring, Edward had gone to great lengths to prevent any more accidents from occurring. Whenever other vampires entered the surrounding area, I was put under constant surveillance to and from work or baby sat by Alice. I knew there was no room for arguing with his wishes. Not after the pain my mistakes had caused everyone. Just the thought of it made pain shoot through my neck. My fingertips grazed over the right side of my neck. I was met by completely smooth flesh. Although the pain was still vivid, there was no traces of evidence that what happened was real. Every once and a while as he brushed his lips over my neck, he could see me twitch from nervousness. As hard as I tried to cease my quaking muscles, sometimes it managed to slip through. No matter how I coolly I tried to play it off, he wouldn't let his ministrations continue any further.

I made use of my extra time by responding to my mother's incessant emails badgering me about every detail of my summer. While my mother and I were very close, I still had to keep secrets from her about Edward. I knew no matter what she had gone through with my ability, she would never be able to handle the truth about the love of my life. She didn't care for the most part as long as I was happy. She wasn't even taking it too hard that I forwent a summer in Florida to be with him. I guess I had never really believed her when she spoke about how your life changes when you find the one person you are meant for.

After sorting through my inbox, I ventured to the store to restock the barren fridge. By the time I returned home, a sleek, black BMW was parked next to my truck making it look even more ancient. I silently reminded myself that Charlie's new friend from the station was probably there. With my arms loaded with two over flowing bags, I managed to open the screen door to let myself in.

"I'm back. I'll get dinner started right now," I spoke loud enough for Charlie to hear over the game playing on the TV. Without looking, I kicked off my shoes at the front door and made my way into the kitchen.

"Do you need any help at all?" An unexpected voice asked from the doorway causing me to jump. Clumsily my hands dropped the carton of eggs letting them shatter on the floor. My heart lurched upwards before realizing there was no real danger to speak of. "I'm so sorry. Here, let me help you get that." Without thinking twice, this man grabbed the nearest towel and began soaking up the mess of yolk around the broken remains of the scattered shells.

"I-it's fine. I just didn't expect it that's all." I tried my best to laugh even though my hands were still shaking. I bent down next to him finally getting a clear look at his face. His dark hair was cut so short exposing his deep brown eyes. His face was covered in a slight layer of stubble. I had grown so unaccustomed to it seeing as Edward never seemed to have that problem. It actually looked good on this man. It made his cherubic face more defined. His heavy brows creased slightly with worry has he cleaned the mess as best he could. He was a much different look than Edward. Much more rugged. It was a few moments before he finally noticed my gaze. "I'm Bella," I blushed extending my hand out to him.

"Sylar. I've heard so much about you. I'd shake your hand, but mine seemed to be covered in salmonella," he joked holding out his soiled hands. I felt my cheeks begin to blush as I quickly pulled my extended hand away to grab the broken carton. Thankfully I was able to turn away to dump everything in the trashcan and regroup. I knew that it was important to Charlie to make this mysterious man welcome. By the time I had turned, he was washing his hands in the sink. His muscles seemed to flex unintentionally from every motion of his body. "What are you making?" His head turned back in my direction. A slight smile was creeping onto the corner of his lips.

"Huh?" I slipped before I could properly understand his question. I must have sounded like a bumbling schoolgirl.

"For dinner?" He added chuckling softly. He dried his hands before checking the other continents of the grocery bags. "All signs are pointing to fettuccini," He said adding up the ingredients. I nodded silently in response. My throat had gone completely dry. I didn't know if I was afraid of him or just intrigued by his anonymity. "Do you need any help?"

"I think I can handle it actually. You probably want to go get back to the game." I knew that I wouldn't be able to get anything done if he was in the kitchen with me. Before he could convince me otherwise, I moved towards the bags and began unpacking their contents to their respective places. When I turned around to check, he had wandered back to the living room. I sighed quietly completely embarrassed by my previous actions. I tried to push my anxiety aside and begin dinner, but he vibration from my phone against the countertop broke me from my concentration.

"Hello?" I questioned holding it between my ear and shoulder as I washed the lettuce out for our salad.

"Come over." His voice held an unusual tone of demanding. It was out of character for Edward not to begin or end that statement with please.

"Do you want to try that again?" I asked slightly confused at his attitude. I tried to remind myself that even vampires could have off days.

"Bella, love, please come over? Carlisle finished early. I just have a weird feeling. I'd feel safer if you were close to me. If you don't come, I'll personally come and get you myself." His overprotective attitude increased my worry tenfold.

"What's going on? Is someone in Forks?" I lowered my voice making sure no one could hear.

"I don't _know_. Would you humor me please?" He snapped harshly sending me aback. Silence crept over our conversation. My shaking hands had trouble blotting the lettuce. "I'm sorry," He added after his voice returned to normal.

"I can't. Charlie has someone from the station over. I'm making dinner," I informed him. "I can't just leave to go hang out with my boyfriend because he has a bad feeling."

"Fine. If that's how you feel." Before I could apologize for the rudeness of my previous words, the line had gone dead. It was rare for him ever to hang up without saying he loved me. As the day was progressing on, his actions seemed to become increasingly weird and out of character for him. Not wanting to deal with any more, I silenced my phone and stowed it in my back pocket and went back to my task. If Sylar was that important to my father, I would do my best to make him feel welcome in our home and try to compose myself.

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	4. Numb

****Please be warned that this chapter contains some graphic violence not suitable for little eyes. You have been warned.****

Enjoy!

Jenfur Lee

Chapter Four: Numb

Most of the conversation at dinner was taken up by Charlie's observations from the game they were watching. Although he didn't appear quite as interested, Sylar played along just enough to humor him. I thought he might have felt obligated to after being invited over for dinner. I kept my head down with my eyes focused on my plate chewing each bite with added concern. Anything to avoid another awkward run in with this stone faced man. Just as Charlie finished, the home phone rang abruptly. Generally speaking, when the phone rang past six PM on a weekday, it was either my mother or the station. Silently under my breath, for the first time in existence, I prayed for my mother to be on the other end of the phone. That way I could excuse myself for the remainder of the evening and then only return back to wash the dishes. After a few minutes of conversation, I could tell my plan had failed by the tone of Charlie's somber voice.

"Well, looks like they need me in at work," He sighed reaching for his gun that was stowed safely near the backdoor. "Do you want to tag along and see some real action, Sy?" He quickly added taking the opportunity to impress the stations newest resident.

"Actually, Chief Swan I need to head back to my house. I've still got a lot of unpack to do. You know how it goes I'm sure," He replied as his lips curled into the fakest smile I had ever seen plastered on someone's face. His eyes flickered briefly toward mine sending a chill through my skin. My previous thoughts of his appearance had quickly fleeted toward the background. Something wasn't right about this man. "Could I just use your restroom before I leave? It's quite a drive."

"Sure! It's upstairs. The last door on the right, you can't miss it." Charlie spoke before I could even open my mouth to refuse. The thought of him upstairs in my home made my stomach churn. Sylar nodded his thanks before making his way upstairs disappearing out of sight. "I'll be back late, Bells. Lock up before you go see Edward." I heard the slam of the screen door as I turned to glance back at my father. I tried to remind myself that if my father trusted him, that he couldn't be a bad person. From Charlie's years of experience, he was generally a good judge of character. I took the time to wash out and dry the dishes carefully. It must have taken me ten minutes, but Sylar had yet to return from upstairs. I convinced myself that he must have slipped out the door when the water was running so loudly from the sink. I probably didn't even notice him leave. After shaking my head slightly trying to rid the feeling from my body, I made my way upstairs towards my bedroom to call Edward and smooth things over. Before I could pull my phone from my pocket as I crossed the threshold of my doorway, the sight of Sylar's muscular form standing in front of my bookshelf greeted me. He was flipping the pages of the book I had read nearly twenty times. The book that had nearly cost me a multitude of pain and suffering. Sylar's nimble fingers navigated themselves through 'Activating Evolution'. It was the book that had given Edward and I an insight on what my healing abilities could actually do. When he reached my chapter, his eyes were met by the sight of yellow highlighter all over the words and scribbled handwriting in the margins. That was when I saw his genuine smile.

"So you're a healer?" He grinned holding the book up for me to see. I begged my feet to run in the other direction and never look back. "And dear old dad has no idea? Tsk, tsk, tsk, Bella. Is that any way to treat your father?" Without looking, he let the book drop to the floor beneath him and stepped over toward me slowly. I curled my hands into fists silently wishing that I had the can of pepper spray Charlie had given me months ago. My purse was too far away for me to reach unnoticed. I was on my own. "I'm actually sort of glad you didn't tell him. Makes it easier this way." His fingertips brushing over my cheek making me cringe.

"What do you want?" I choked out.

"Well that's simple. I want your power, Bella dear," He cooed leaning in closer making my eyes meet his.

"How did you find me?"

"The company doesn't managed to keep their files very secure now do they? You do remember them don't you?" He didn't need to remind me of my brief yet painful stint with the man who haunted my dreams constantly. It had been my worst nightmare that they would find me in my new sanctuary. And now it was being realized in my quant bedroom.

"Try not to scream too loud alright? We don't want to disturb your neighbors." Before I could open my mouth to speak, his index finger raised causing immense pain to radiate from my forehead. The throbbing only worsened, as his finger seemed able to sear through not only my flesh but my skull as well. My blurry vision was worsened even more by the flow of blood down over my face. I screamed in horror as the burning sensation only increased as it circled around my scalp. I dropped to the floor because my wobbly legs were no longer able to support my aching form. The pain I was experiencing was worse than anything I had ever felt before. Including the venom from James and Edward that had been pumped through my veins. It was the second time that I had prayed for death. I would have done anything to end the pain.

By the time I had woken up, the pain was still ever present. I was unable to move, as I lay helpless on the floor staring upwards to my ceiling. Tears stung the corners of my eyes rolling down into my hair. Vaguely I could make out the crown of my head, my long brown hair attached to it strewn carelessly to the side. He wanted my brain in order to gain access to my ability. My breathing increased drastically thinking that I had gotten my wish.

"You're going to kill me," I stated shakily. I did my best to swallow against the dryness of my throat. "Aren't you? You're going to take my brain and leave my body here."

"Don't be ridiculous, Bella. I couldn't kill you even if I wanted to," his voice chuckled softly running his fingertips down towards the back of my skull. Expertly his fingers retrieved whatever piece of his puzzle he was looking for out of my head. Instantly the throbbing of my body had ceased throughout every inch. I was grateful for the release. "There. That wasn't so bad was it?" Uncoordinatedly his hand replaced the top portion of my head allowing it to fuse back in place. Instinctively my hand flew up to feel my smooth forehead. Even the biggest of injuries left no marks. He stood glancing down over my helpless form. "Thank you. Oh, and I wouldn't tell your father about this. He wouldn't believe you anyway now would he?" His lips curled upward before he turned on his heal and walked out of the room as if nothing had happened. I was still unable to move from my position on the floor nor did I want to. I let the tears flow freely from my eyes making no attempt to stop them. I did not sob; I couldn't seem to muster up enough energy to do so. Instead I let the silent trail of tears make their way into my matted hair. The minutes slowly passed, as I lay lifeless on the floor. Although I couldn't see my window, I prayed desperately to hear the slight tinkling of my wind chimes to signal Edward's arrival. It was the tiniest of sounds that would never come.

****I know this is an awful thing to do but, I will be on the road for the next two days and unpacking for the remainder of the week, so updates might be a bit slower than usual. Please do not be discouraged. I have every intention of continuing this story. Believe me, it's been eating at me not to write. In the mean time, you can send me reviews letting me know how you like it! It would be good motivation to get back into the swing of things once my move is over! Thank you for your endless patience with the slowness of the exposition! It's gonna get good I promise!****

JENFUR LEE


	5. Save Me

****Sorry for the delay! I hope you're not too mad at me! Like I've said before, I'll update faster if I get more encouraging reviews! I'm all moved up so hopefully I'll be able to get into a more steady pattern!****

Enjoy,

Jenfur Lee

Chapter Five: Save Me

It was Charlie who found my still form on top of a pool of blood nearly three hours later. Nothing in his twenty years of service could prepare him for seeing his daughter this way. My heart broke when I saw the look of anguish cross his face. In any normal situation he would have known exactly what to do. Check for a pulse. Call an ambulance. Call back up to search the area for any possible suspects. He knew it all. But it was as if all of his knowledge had flown from him when he saw the trail of tears leading from my eyes. His motions were hardly fluid as he fought his emotions to find the right pattern of actions. There was no doubt in my mind he thought I was dead from the blank expression on my face. If it wasn't for the faint movement of my breathing, I could have fooled him entirely. After moments of shock, he finally sped into action dialing every number he could think of. His rough hand gently brushed against my arm, the only part of my body he figured he was safe. His callused fingertips felt like almost nothing against my skin.

"I'm sorry," I managed to croak out to him before swarms of people surrounded me blocking him from my vision. They braced my neck first, of course, thinking my so-called injury was related to my head. I didn't even bother telling them I was ok. That there was no problem to be found. The pool of blood spoke for me. I did my best to play along with their little charade. All I wanted at that moment in time was Edward. I wanted to apologize for scoffing at his rudeness. I wanted to hear the wind chimes toll and feel his cool arms wrap around me. Instead I was greeted by a flashlight shone in my eyes, and several EMTs asking the standard questions. Did you fall down? What day is it? And even better yet, what _year_ is it? I answered them calmly careful not to jar my body in any way. It would only strengthen their frenzy. In their worry, they'd probably sedate me. That was the last thing I wanted was to be asleep. I wanted him.

It wasn't until we'd reached the hospital they began to murmur about the lack of a wound. I no longer worried about their findings. My mind was too distraught about the vision of my scalp lying next to me. My dad's coworker searching for whatever made me tick. When Carlisle burst through the door I was finally awoken from my garish thoughts. His eyes contained a multitude of worry as he finally looked at my face. Quickly he ordered everyone out of the room to do a full inspection, including Charlie.

"Now Carlisle, don't you think for a second I'm leaving her alone. You didn't see her in the house at home laying in-" his voice began to rise with anger.

"Chief Swan, I strongly suggest you take my advice and leave the room. Bella has been through enough already and does not need any more stress." His voice still maintained an air of politeness even as he verbally attacked my father.

"Well she wouldn't be here if it weren't for that boy of yours! He's got something to do with this and don't you think for a second I don't suspect it!" My heart thudded with fear. Charlie had thought Edward had done this to me. My sweet, loving Edward. So many secrets lined the walls of our house it was no wonder he was confused about the state of things.

"I assure you he had nothing to do with this. Edward has been at home with our family all day. He was home when I got called by you to come into the hospital immediately. Please, Charlie, just let me do my job. I promise I will take care of her." Although he was enraged by Charlie's accusation, his voice softened as he swore to my father. Defeated Charlie left the room standing close by no doubt. When everyone had left the room is when I finally began to sob. Although I fought him, Carlisle took my face into his hands making me look up to him. "Bella, you have to tell me what happened."

"That man, Sylar. He…" My confused mind searched frantically to put into words what had happened at the house hours ago. My hand brushed over my forehead trying to explain. "He took something to get my power. He cut me without touching me," I choked out through my tears. "I need him. Please. I need him with me." His hands were busy examining my head as I begged helplessly. As he ignored my request, he began a careful once over at the rest of my body. My ragged breathing worsened as he vigilantly scrutinized over every detail. The minutes seemed to drag on endlessly until I couldn't take it anymore. "Stop it!" I screamed at the top of my lungs ripping off the pointless neck brace. "You're not going to find anything! You know you won't! Now let him come in or I'll go get him myself." The events had finally caught up with me as I snapped at Carlisle. As if on cue, Edward's form stepped into the room with the look of terror in his eyes that was so familiar to me. I had seen it before several times. It was always I that was the cause of it. He hesitated a few steps from me his eyes darting to Carlisle. They began speaking so fast and low I couldn't understand them even if I was operating at full force. It drove me mad to know they were talking about me while I sat in the same room. I sat against the edge of the bed hunched inward. The longing for my body to be safely tucked between his arms only intensified as I watched him linger in front of me.

"I'm going to go find some x-rays I can use to show Charlie," Carlisle said before he moved to exit the room.

"No. I'm not lying to him anymore. He needs to know the truth," I stated halting his actions. I had made a promise to myself never to hurt Charlie again after what had happened with James. It was time for him to know the truth.

"Bella, are you sure you want to do that?" He spoke again.

"He's my father. He deserves at least that much." Thankfully he didn't fight me any further on my decision. Instead he exited the room silently leaving Edward glued to the same spot his eyes not breaking their stare on the wall. I waited patiently for him to make his way over toward me thinking it had been the blood soaked clothes that had deterred him. He had gotten better at controlling himself around me it didn't seem like that much of a problem, until he didn't move to join me or open his mouth to speak. "I'm sorry," I tried to coax him closer. Words were not the comfort I needed. He still remained motionless. "Do you want me to change?" I asked tentatively. He shook his head no his hands clenching and unclenching slightly. His whole body seemed tense as his eyes traced the contours of the wall. "Are you going to look at me at all?" My voice came out much weaker than my previous statement. Slowly he stepped over standing between my legs. He finally wrapped his arms around me and rested my head underneath his chin.

"I'm sorry I was angry with you. My thoughts have been so jumbled lately it's been so hard to think straight. Alice hasn't been able to get a clear glance at anything. Every time we tried all we received were instant migraines. I got worried. I should have come and got you. I shouldn't have let this happen to you," he spoke low and soft every once and a while dropping his lips against my forehead. "I just wish things could stay exactly how they were. No danger, no fear. Just you and me," He added as his eyes fluttered closed letting his long lashes graze his face. I let my hand touch his cheek reveling at the feel of his smooth skin.

"Please take me home?" I squeaked out trying to keep more tears from spilling over my swollen eyelids.

"I thought you wanted to talk to Charlie?" He reminded me of the task at hand. Immediately my stomach turned at the thought of finally expelling the distance between Charlie and I. Although I loved him dearly, I didn't know how he would react to the knowledge that I could heal myself from every injury. After the events of the previous day, I needed a chance to sort things out in my mind. I needed sleep.

"Not tonight. Tonight I want _our _bed." Seeing my bloodshot eyes and quivering lips must have sent him over. There was no fight to be had. Edward and I both knew that I would get my way no matter what. At least this time I'd get to spend the entire night wrapped in his arms. I just prayed that the uneasy feeling would melt away as soon as we had fled the walls of the hospital.

****Well?? Like what you read? Review!!!!!!!!****


	6. I Just Want You to Know Who I Am

****I'm sorry it has taken so long for an update! I hope all of you are still interested in reading! I've gotten a little more settled into my new place and hopefully things will be a bit easier from here on out. For now, here's a shorter chapter than usual, but I didn't want to put off updating any longer! More to come! Review me for motivation!!!!!****

Enjoy,

Jenfur Lee

Chapter Six: I Just Want You to Know Who I Am

The only semblance of time that I had was the rising and falling of the sun from the large windows of Edward's bedroom. My fingertips wrapped tightly around his shirt preventing him from straying too far. Not that he would ever leave my side for a period longer than an hour anyway. No matter how upset he was at me. By the time I had finally snapped out of my sleepy trance, I had no idea how many days had passed. He seemed patient as I stirred in his arms stretching my limbs.

"Feeling better?" He questioned quietly tucking my disheveled hair behind my ear. I nodded slightly in response as I sat up. His cool fingertips slowly brushed over the bare skin of my back that peeked out from my tank top. His touch was all I needed to wake up from my self-induced coma. Without warning, I turned back towards him my lips finding his instantly. Although I could tell my actions shocked him slightly, he did not make any attempt to pull away. I let my lips carefully dance over his reveling in the feel of his against mine. Fire and ice. I could only hope that my heated body felt just as good as his. It seemed as if when we were put together, we could reach our center. When my lungs began to ache is when I finally pulled away letting my forehead linger against his. "Charlie's downstairs…" His soft words reminded me of the task I had been putting off. As much as I would like to let Carlisle concoct on of his elaborate schemes, I knew I owed my father much more than that. He deserved the truth about what he saw.

"I guess it's now or never then, huh?" I did my best to laugh as I straightened out my clothes. Edward stood to escort me downstairs. I just prayed he wouldn't leave my side as I talked to Charlie. I needed as much support as I could get. I knew as long as I could explain the basics to him, Carlisle could cover the finer details. Charlie trusted Carlisle within an inch of his life. Any words from him would ring true in his book. As we padded down the staircase I could see them both waiting in the open living room for us to join them. When he saw me, Charlie rose from his spot amazed at how well I was walking for having been knocking on death's door only days previous. They were silent as we sat down only allowing my heart to beat even faster in my chest. I knew Edward and Carlisle could sense my fear, and they tried to be supportive of me.

"Bells, you look great. I didn't expect you to be up and moving let alone…" His words trailed off uncomfortable as his mind flashed back.

"Alive?" I finished my throat scratchy from the nerves. Charlie's only response was for his eyes to dart down to his boots as if he was ashamed for thinking such a thing. "You're right. I shouldn't be alive, dad." Those were the only words I could manage to say. I looked nervously at Carlisle hoping he would step in.

"I think what Bella means to say is, her blood cells have the miraculous ability to regenerate themselves at a rapid speed. Faster than any normal human." Charlie's eyebrows furrowed in confusion at his words. I knew technical terms would be lost on him. There was only one way to show him what we were dealing with. My eyes flashed to the coffee table in front of us. Resting against it was Esme's candle lighter.

"Watch," I said grabbing the lighter flicking the red switch with my thumb. Cringing slightly I held my palm over the exposed flame.

"Bella!" Charlie yelled trying to take it from my hands. His eyes widened as he finally realized what we had been talking about. Although I was witnessing my flesh being charred by the flame, the only thing my once sensitive palm could feel was the slight heat of the flame licking against my skin. No searing pain was reaching upwards into my elbow. When I stopped the lighter, the sensation was gone entirely as my flesh began to mend itself in front of everyone. Carlisle and Edward exchanged glances at each other knowingly. I let the lighter drop back against the table loudly staring at my blank hand. Tears brimmed my eyes once more as realization began to sink in. Edward's hand wrapped around me, and he pulled me close against him.

"Bella…" His voice slipped out weakly. My body tensed awkwardly.

"I cant feel-" I squeaked before giving over to my tears. My humanity had slipped away even further to the point where I no longer knew where I belonged.

****I'll most likely be adding more to this chapter, but I wanted to get your opinions first! Let me know!!!!!!****


	7. For All That I Am

Chapter Seven: For All That I Am

"What's wrong with me?" I spat out looking back and forth between Carlisle and Edward. They both remained silent as panic began to rise within me. "Why can't I _feel_ it?" My voice rose. Again I was greeted by silence. If they weren't going to give me answers, I wasn't going to stay to let them gawk at my emotions. Roughly I pushed away from Edward's solid form. Although I knew it didn't hurt him, just the action was enough to disturb him. I ran out the back door because I didn't want to be near them knowing they had hid this from me. Carlisle must have known immediately. Even though they had the strength to take down mountain lions and bears, neither of them could find the courage to tell me what my life had become. As I padded barefoot through the thick underbrush of the woods, I could only feel pressure from under my feet. No pins and needles at the sharp branches lining the ground. Sylar had not only taken my ability to heal, he had left me even further from being normal. I was subhuman at best now. I now knew how why Edward had struggled with his lifestyle. He didn't leave me alone for very long. After just a few minutes of stumbling through the woods, I heard his footsteps behind me. I only quickened my pace as the tears streamed from the corners of my eyes. Quickly he sped in front of me blocking my path. I felt my anger tearing through my body as he impeded me from fleeing any further.

"When were you planning on telling me?" I screamed. Edward's normally controlled face turned towards a look of shock at my actions.

"Bella, you've been asleep. I didn't want to put something like that on you so quickly. It was selfish of me. Please try to understand-"

"Understand what? That you didn't think I could handle it? That I'm weak?" I interrupted as my hands clenched into fists. Edward's overprotection had been warranted for the most part. He had never kept anything of this magnitude a secret from me before.

"I was only trying to protect you," his strained voice manage to croak out.

"Well clearly you haven't been doing a very good job if that's what you're trying to do." The words had tripped off of my tongue before I could decipher what my intention had been. Judging by the look on his face, I had wanted to hurt him as much as his silence had hurt me. I wanted him to feel the pain that I so longed to feel again. To be human. His eyes quickly flashed to mine piercing into my heart. My plan had worked. My head throbbed with anger as we stared at each other. His once strong shoulders hunched over in defeat. It was as if every ounce of strength had been ripped from his body at my words. He didn't respond. Instead he turned on a dime and quickly started deeper into the woods. "Edward, I-" I couldn't stop my mind from racing at ways to combat the situation. To say sorry. To tell him I loved him. That it didn't matter. As long as he was here, nothing else mattered. I would be stronger for him. He would no longer worry about the pain he could potentially cause me. While it made me feel even further from human, perhaps it was the push he needed to cease my aging. To be together forever. He didn't speed up as I thought he would. He kept his pace around normal as I tripped after him unsuccessfully. The words I had played in my head could not seem to form on my lips as I chased after him. I watched his taught shoulders at his sides the landscape around us becoming a dizzying blur. I finally had to stop. I could not help the helpless whimper that escaped my lips as I watched him disappear in the trees. As soon as the sound hit his ears, he stopped abruptly. His flawless face became visible as he glanced over his shoulder at my pitiful exterior. I knew he would like nothing more than to run into the heart of the woods away from everyone, but the tears boiling in my eyes would not allow him to leave. Always the gentleman. Neither of us made an attempt at closing the space between us. "I love you." I finally sunk to my knees unable to contain my sobs any longer. "I don't know what's wrong with me, the pain has always been there to remind me that I'm still human. Now I don't know what I am…A freak, I suppose." I was unsure how I was able to formulate my tense feelings into words or if he could even understand them with my labored breathing. When he stepped over towards me, I knew he must have known of my overwhelming need to be in his arms. Very slowly he knelt down and wrapped his arms around me.

"You're perfect," He whispered tucking my form against his chest. "You are absolutely perfect." Effortlessly he picked me up cradling me in his arms. Carefully he walked back toward the house where we had left our fathers. As he moved slowly making sure not to jar my body in anyway, I knew that Edward was one of the only people that could understand what I was feeling. I could not push him away. I needed to hold on to him even fiercer.

****Again, sorry for shortness. I'm trying to figure some stuff out along with getting settled in the new place. =] Please be patient. I'm hoping to be struck with more inspiration soon. Any ideas???? I'd love to hear from you!****

Jenfur Lee


	8. How I Know You

Chapter Eight: How I Know You

Charlie and Carlisle had moved towards the driveway by the time we had returned. As much as I wanted to stay and mend things completely with Edward, I knew Charlie would want me back in his care. We both also needed time to discuss things away from the Cullen's. It was hard to believe we had spent the whole summer together blissfully only for things to take a turn for the worst as school leered close by. Edward had mentioned a weeklong "camping" trip that would last until the Sunday before we began our Senior year. He helped me delicately into the passenger side of Charlie's cruiser before resting his hands against the top of the car.

"Be careful, ok?" He muttered quietly trying to be discrete around my father. I nodded slightly at his words. I would do my best to honor it. As much as I wanted Edward to close the meager space between us and press his lips to mine, I knew it was a lost cause in front of both of our fathers. It just meant I would have to wait an entire week in order to kiss him properly again. I hoped the tension in the woods would diffuse enough when he returned for us to make up for lost time.

The week drug on slowly as I missed him more and more. I tried desperately to get in as many hours as I could at work seeing as I had nothing else to do with my time. Each time I exited my eyes unintentionally searched for Edward's shiny Volvo across the parking lot. Every day my heart sunk more and more. It hurt me knowing that my last night of summer vacation wouldn't be spent with him. I'd have to wait until the morning just like everyone else. I guess it sort of excited me to see everyone else from school that I had lost touch with throughout the break. I hoped Jessica and Angela would forgive me for being absent for the past few months. It wasn't that I didn't want to see them; my life had just been consumed with Edward. As I lay in bed Sunday night, I knew that he wouldn't be joining me. Him and his stupid rules. I could practically hear his voice saying, 'You need a good night's rest, Senior year is very important.' I giggled softly at the thought. It wasn't as if I would be reliving my Senior year with him for the rest of my life if all went as planned. That is if Carlisle and I could convince him to keep me this way eternally.

The next morning I dressed casually after my long shower. I needed the extra time to clear my head from my thoughts of him. The weather overcast like always. After slipping on a flannel shirt and rolling up the sleeves slightly, I donned my familiar boots. They were the only shoes I owned that managed to keep my feet warm and my socks dry. I hadn't realized how late I was running until I noticed the kitchen clock. I quickly grabbed a granola bar before dashing outside.

"Have a good first day, Bells. I, uh, guess I don't have to worry about you being careful anymore, huh?" Charlie murmured looking awkwardly at his work boots. I must have just caught him getting ready to leave. He was taking the news of my ability quite well for being such a reasonable person.

"I still will, dad. Just for you," I smiled hugging him slightly.

My hands had begun to shake against the steering wheel of my truck as I neared school. I noticed Mike and Tyler talking near their cars in their usual parking spots. My eyes continued to further scan the lot for the only car that I wanted to see. It took me three sweeps to realize he hadn't arrived yet. Sighing I stepped out of my car and walked to class alone. It felt so odd to be on school grounds without my hand firmly laced in Edwards. I had grown so used to having his reassurance. Without him close, I felt even more vulnerable than my first day here. Silently I reminded myself that there was no need to be nervous. These were the same people I had spent half of the last school year with. When I had made it to my first class, I sat near two empty seats hoping he would be joining me soon. I didn't know what excuse he could have for his unusual lateness. He couldn't have overslept if he didn't sleep at all. While everyone was busying themselves with conversations about summer trips, I typed a quick message to him and hit send.

"Do you mind if I sit here?" A voice snapped me out of my trace. I looked up from my phone to his dark eyes.

"Huh?" I said dumbfounded.

"Can I sit here?" He motioned toward the desk next to me letting his lips form into a smile at my blank face.

"Oh! Um, I guess so." Edward hadn't responded, and he was starting to make me angry. What better punishment than to loose his seat next to me? To an attractive boy nonetheless. The boy dropped his bag to the floor and slumped in his seat. His long fingers roughly ran through his hair only increasing its level of dishevelment. It reminded me of Edward. I couldn't help but notice how his skin held the color of a brilliant tan effortlessly. After releasing a large sigh, he turned back toward me again.

"I'm Jake."

"Bella… Did you just move here?" There was something about him that intrigued me.

"Not exactly. I'm from the reservation. I missed a lot of school last year and this is my punishment." Instantly I knew why his skin carried such a beautiful color. I had become so used to the paleness of Edward's flesh that anything else looked so different.

"Public school? That's not punishment, that's torture," I joked as my fingers unconsciously continued to check my phone for any sign from Edward. I was startled by the bellowing laughter Jake released at my comment. It made me anxious to see everyone's watchful eyes upon us. I didn't have to be able to read minds to see what they were thinking. It wasn't long after that class began sans Edward. As the day progressed I fell back in with old friends for the most part. I couldn't help but worry as the classes dwindled down and there was no sign of him. At lunch I had given up hope entirely. I noticed Jake standing awkwardly toward the front of the cafeteria looking for a satisfactory place to sit. My mind wandered back to a year ago when I was in the exact same position. I quickly raised my hand trying to direct his attention towards our large table. It didn't take him long to notice the invitation, and he sauntered over taking a spot next to me.

"Thank you. I owe you one," He mumbled quietly fiddling with his water bottle. I nodded mostly listening to everyone else's conversations rather than adding my own thoughts.

"Bella, where's Edward?" Jess asked failing to hide the malicious tone to her voice. I searched through my mind to think if he had told me about missing school today. I couldn't remember him mentioning anything.

"Last camping trip of the summer. He should be back soon," I responded not technically lying. They didn't try to breach the subject again thankfully. Instead they went back to telling stories from the summer.

My last class of the day was chemistry. Mr. Carver had wasted no time in setting up the class for our first lab. I groaned silently at the thought of completing a lab without Edward's previous knowledge of it. This couldn't be good.

"I want everyone to start up their Bunsen burners and read over the lab instructions I've placed on your desk," He instructed. I flicked the switch and watched the flame flare up. Absentmindedly I let my hand pass over the tiny blaze feeling only a slight tickle against my palm.

"Are you crazy?" Someone's loud voice snapped me out of my trace. I quickly pulled my hand away from the burner. My eyes flashed over Jake's worried face. "Did you get burnt?" His eyes darted down to my hand.

"No, I'm fine. You just startled me is all." I knew that by this time my hand had had time to heal completely. I turned it over showing my bare palm. "See? Just fine." He blinked several times as if he didn't believe me. But the proof was plain for him to see.

"You're weird, Bella." By this time he had taken a seat next to me at the table. The seat that last year belonged to Edward. My Edward. I did my best to hide my disappointment while Jake prepared everything for our lab. I was happy not to have to focus too hard. I sat back and let Jake earn his keep as my new lab partner.

Before we had completed the whole lab, I heard the door swing open only to see Edward finally arriving to class. My focus was gone as I saw his eyes watching my actions intently. I could see the anger laced with jealousy in his honey colored eyes. I knew that the venom that pulsed inside him was now coating his mouth as he watched Jake flirt freely with me. While I did feel guilty, part of me was still angry at him for not telling me about missing most of the day.

"Ah, Edward, nice to see you again. Why don't you take a seat at the empty table in back, I trust you can keep up with the material," Mr. Carver spoke handing him the textbook. He didn't move to take the book. Instead he leaned closer to Mr. Carver his eyes glaring at Jake as he spoke. He was working his charm no doubt. "It's a two person lab, son. Perhaps this will be more motivation to make it to class on time in order to sit with your girlfriend?" Mr. Carver's words came out loud enough for the rest of the class to hear. Instantly my cheeks burned red as I heard the sniggering from everyone. Edward didn't respond. He grabbed the textbook and made his way towards the back table. I could feel his eyes on my skin just as I had my first day here.

"_That's_ your boyfriend?" Jake whispered keeping his eyes on our lab work. All I could manage to do was nod silently. "Damn," He muttered underneath his breath. I could see his hands had begun to shake slightly. "He's not going to kill me, is he?" He let his frightened eyes glance briefly at mine before flickering back towards the front of the classroom.

"He's just…very protective. He's harmless." _Unless you're a mountain lion_, I thought. Jake remained quiet for the rest of class and only spoke when it was related to our project. As soon as the bell rang, he began to gather his things.

"I'll see you later, Bella." Before I could respond, he had already made his way out of the room towards the parking lot. His actions reminded me so much of Edward, who for once hadn't been the first one out of class. He was sitting patiently waiting for the rest of the students to filter out. I swallowed hard around the lump in my throat preparing for the worst. Clumsily my books fell out of my hands and onto the floor. He had gathered them before I could even kneel down.

"Thank you," I whispered biting hard on my lip. His eyes were still fuming. I put his kindness off on muscle memory. He had spent the last five months tending to my gawky human actions. He nodded slightly with his jaw taut. He made no attempt at returning my books to me. Instead he carried them to my car for me. When we had safely made it to the parking lot, he finally began to speak.

"I missed you-" His kind words were only muddled over by the sound of an engine revving loudly. His eyes quickly scanned the parking lot for the source of the sound. I could just barely make out a person's form speeding off of school grounds on a red motorcycle clad in a red helmet. The only new person attending school with a driver's license had sat next to me all day. I tried to hold back my surprised laughter as I watched Jake cut off the other driver's on the road as he left. He did know how to make a first impression. Edward's body had gone rigid from the display. Carefully I brought my hand to his and ran my thumb over his knuckles. His focus quickly returned to my touch against his cold skin.

"I missed you," I whispered as my fingers laced between his. I could still see the hint of jealousy lingering in his eyes, but it had faded for the most part. The corners of my lips turned upward slightly seeing how my plan to make him envious. "Now take me home, Mr. Cullen." Before he could speak, _I _pressed my lips against his closing the space between us. There was no doubt he was the only one for me. Nothing could ever change that.

****I know this has taken a SUPER SUPER long time to update! I've been really busy lately and not very inspired to write. =[ But here's the latest in the saga. I hope you enjoy this. I'm considering going on hiatus for a while if no one is going to read this. Review if you like it, otherwise this might fall to the back burner.****

Jenfur Lee


	9. No Lies, Just Love

Chapter Nine: No Lies, Just Love

"Where were you all day?" I finally forced myself to ask as Edward drove my ancient truck back to my house. I could faintly make out his long fingers clench the wheel a bit tighter. He knew it would just be a matter of time before curiosity got the best of me. My stereo started to sputter with static and he fiddled to make it work again.

"Now when you're father bought this with all original parts, that wasn't necessarily a good thing. Especially for your poor stereo. We should just put it out of its misery," His lips curled up into a sly smile. I wasn't buying his meek attempt to sway my mind.

"I happen to love my truck, thank you. Bad radio and all. Where were you?" I crossed my arms over my chest refusing to back down. He sighed long and low tapping his fingertips against the dash.

"Can't you trust me enough to know that it was important enough to warrant my absence?" His eyes darted to mine. I did my best not to let the light honey color of his sway me from my intention.

"You're the one that always makes a big deal about rights of passage. Isn't the first day of senior year one? I could argue that because you were gone, my day was absolutely dreadful and not monumental in the least." I had become quite the expert on guilt trips. It wasn't hard to convince him at all.

"It didn't appear that way to me," He mumbled softly just as we pulled into the driveway.

"Edward Cullen. You honestly think that some _boy_ would stop me from loving you?" I had seen him angry with others for how they treated me. But I had never seen him this way. "He was new. And since I was in his position last year, I was trying to be nice."

"You didn't hear what he was thinking," His hands clenched briefly against the wheel before shutting off the truck entirely. We both sat motionless inside the cab.

"You read his mind?" My eyes bulged slightly. It shouldn't have surprised me much. He had been known to eavesdrop on Jessica to get closer to me.

"He thinks you're quote, 'fine'," his voice even attempted to mimic Jake's casual tone. I tried my best to stifle a giggle.

"That's ridiculous."

"You're right. I personally think you're a lot more than fine. You're stunning, Bella dear," He stated smoothly. My cheeks flushed bright red at his words. He carefully brought the pads of his fingers over my cheek feeling the heat from my skin. The coolness caused my eyes to flutter closed. "I'll never grow tired of doing that."

"Good. Because you have the rest of eternity to make me blush," I reminded him of his promise. He would stop my aging at the end of this year or sooner given or current situation. His fingers were gone as soon as the words left my mouth. They clamped into tight fists against his legs. His eyes looked as if they were miles away from my driveway. Unconsciously the corner of his lip twitched as he thought.

"What's wrong?" I couldn't help but noticed the rigidness of his form.

"Nothing. I just remembered I have some business to attend to back at the house. I'll meet you back here tonight?" His voice had become monotone and contained none of his previous joy.

"I-I guess," I nodded keeping my face shielded by my hair. I didn't want him to see my disappointment. I was doing my best at not being a burden to him. I grabbed my backpack silently and slipped out of the truck. As he exited the truck he made to head for the trees behind my house before I stopped him. "I don't get a kiss?"

"Of course," he nodded. Even as his arms wrapped around me pulling me towards his stone form, it felt different. I could swear I felt an added iciness on his lips. I was almost happy for it to be over when I watched as he blurred into the woods. Before I could make my way inside the house, I heard Charlie's cruiser pull in beside me.

"Hey Bells," He smiled lightly. I think part of Charlie was relieved when I told him about my ability. He knew that his precious daughter could never get permanently injured. It was every parent's dream, their child never having to feel pain. Too bad it had become my unending nightmare. "How was your first day?"

"It was ok. Boring." I responded following him through the door.

"I have an old friend coming over tonight. Don't worry about cooking. I figured we could celebrate the occasion a little." Charlie hadn't made me cook since our incident at the Cullen's house. It was a nice break, but I only wondered when he would tire of frozen meals.

"Sounds great, dad." I did my best to feign enthusiasm. "I have some homework to get started on," I faked heading upstairs. I didn't even bother opening my bag once I was tucked safely in my room. Instead I collapsed on top of my comforter and pulled my legs to my chest. Although I was upset, I couldn't bring myself to tears. I started counting my breaths as they shallowly came. Edward was hiding something from me, and I was determined to know what it was.

****I'm starting to fall back into this again. =] But reviews always help me out too!!! I know this is short, but it's better than nothing at all, right? I hope you can start to see the wheels 'a turnin. Thank you for putting up with my sluggish pace. Read, review! ****

Jenfur Lee


	10. You're Not Alone

Chapter Ten: You're Not Alone

"Bella?" I was awoken by the sound of someone's soft voice.

"Edward?" I mumbled still attempting to open my eyes from my dreamless sleep.

"Um…N-no," They stuttered. My eyes flashed open to see a blurry form at my door. "Your dad told me to come and get you? The pizza's here…" As consciousness slowly began to seep back into my head, I recognized the all too familiar voice I had heard.

"Jake?!" My body shot upright as I tried unsuccessfully to tame my hair. He was sent into a fit of laughter. "How did you-"

"Our dad's are friends? We used to play together when we were little… Only I knew you as Izzy back then, not Bella," He explained keeping his hands shoved in his pockets. I cringed at my old nickname. Realization slowly sunk in the room. When we were children, Jake was one of the people I showed my remarkable talent too. He had just thought I was a good magician. I never told him that it wasn't an act because I was afraid he wouldn't play with me anymore if he knew. "I had no idea until my dad had mentioned it. He's been sick for a while so we hadn't made it out here. You grew up a lot, Is." Somehow when he used the nickname, it didn't bother me nearly as much.

"You too… What did I used to call you?" I crossed my legs beneath me on my bed motioning for him to pull the chair over. His beaming smile crept onto his face.

"Jay-jay."

"That's right! We used to-"

"Play in the mud behind your house," he laughed softly.

"My mom would get so mad. I must have ruined all my clothes." His laugh seemed contagious because before I knew it, I was laughing too. I was far from the girl who was upset about her boyfriend an hour earlier.

"Can I ask you something?" A serious tone had fallen into his voice. I nodded in response confused at where the conversation was going. "You have to tell me the truth. Honest, honest." I remembered saying that phrase over and over to him. Carefully he grabbed my hand by the wrist to view my palm. My heartbeat sped up until it was nearly bursting out of my chest. "What happened today in Chem is what you used to do when we were little, isn't it?" My throat went dry. Although I knew he wouldn't use it to harm me, the amount of people who knew about my ability was growing. "It wasn't a trick," He stated knowingly.

"Do you still carry your pocket knife?" I whispered as I sent him fumbling in his back pocket. Slowly he extracted the knife from its confines and handed it to me. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Deeply I drug the razor edge over my palm cutting diagonally across it. Before he could so much as gasp, the wound fused back together only leaving a pool of blood in its wake. His mouth hung open wordlessly. As he processed what just happened, I wiped the blood away on a few tissues from my desk. When I showed him my smooth palm, no scar was left.

"You can heal?" His hushed voice asked in awe. I nodded slightly bracing myself for the questions he would ask. He stood silently his eyes never leaving my hand. "I need to show you something, but I need you to promise you won't tell anyone. Alright?" His dark eyes flickered to mine.

"I promise." His hands began to tug his shirt over his head causing my eyes to bulge slightly. "Jake!"

"Trust me." His hands clenched into fists and his whole form began to shake uncontrollably. I did my best to remain calm as his features began shifting and shrinking into something completely different than his muscular build. Before my eyes could register what was happening, he was brought down on all fours as his face grew long and the darkness of his hair coated his body with patches of lighter colors as well. I did my best to hold in a scream at the sight of his shift. My hands clumsily fumbled to pull me back further on the center of my bed. A long whimper was released from the animal. Its head came to rest on the edge of the bed as he placed a paw in front of me. When I glanced into the creature's eyes I could see they were the same beautiful color as Jake's dark eyes. Tentatively I reached my hand out to brush over the long hair of his head. He looked nearly identical to the Native American Indian dog his family had owned when we were children. He was slightly bigger than your average dog, but the innocence of his face kept me from being fearful. His head cocked to the side causing me to laugh slightly. Before I could speak, he padded into the closet leaving me confused. He peaked his head out a few minutes later his bronze skin in place once again. Slowly he made his way back out and sat next to me on the bed.

"I'm a shapeshifter, Bella."

****I'm feeling inspired again!!!!!! Sorry so short! Read/Review PLEASE!****


	11. Shadows

Chapter Eleven: Shadows

My hands were instantly searching through my bookshelf for the worn binding. Silently I flipped through the index searching for anything.

"What are you doing?" Jake asked his voice lined with hesitation.

"Have you ever seen this?" As I stumbled upon the chapter, I extended my arm out to show him what I'd been searching for. Slowly his eyes brushed over the page bulging slightly at its contents. "It has everything… Healing, mind reading, mimicry. I lived by this book last year." I tried my best to keep my excitement at bay at the thought of having a friend with abilities. "You can borrow it."

"Thank you. I'll take good care of it." His calloused hands brushed over the pages. "We should probably get downstairs before they eat everything. I wouldn't put it passed my dad," He laughed lightly leading the way downstairs. Before we had reached the bottom, he turned abruptly causing me to bump right into his solid chest.

"I'm sorry!" I blushed fumbling back up a stair. Before I could slip and fall, his hand flew to my back and held me upright.

"This is our secret, ok?" I felt his eyes burn against mine. I couldn't find any words to reply as he held me. Feeling the intense warmth of his palm against me was unlike any other sensation I had ever felt. As his heat seemed into my body I felt my blush creep over my cheeks as my heart thudded loudly in my chest. All I could manage to do was nod in response.

Jake and I had been able to maintain our cool around our fathers even though inside our hearts soared at the thought of having a companion with traits of evolution. After he and his father had left, I went upstairs to shower for school the next morning. By the time I had made it to my room, Edward's still form sitting in the rocker. As I toweled my hair dry his eyes slowly raised to meet mine.

"I didn't think you'd come back," I mumbled setting the damp towel on the back of my chair to dry.

"I gave you my word." His stoic voice did nothing to comfort my fears.

"Are you going to stay?" I asked turning down the comforter on my bed. Instantly as I did, Edward's form hunched over as if he were sick.

"Don't. Do. That." He demanded sharply. I stood frozen beside the bed fearful of what I had just caused. The past months together had almost desensitized Edward from his lust for my scent. This reaction had to have been caused by something else. The minutes seemed to pass slowly as Edward's face twisted with pain.

"What did I do?" My voice was barely above a whisper.

"You didn't do anything. Something else did." His words only sent my mind into a further state of confusion. He sighed loudly. "Your room _reeks_, Bella," He finally stated.

"I-I don't smell anything." Innocently I sniffed the air to see if I could gather any traces of what he was talking about.

"I wouldn't expect you too. Was there anyone in your room that you know about?" My heart skipped a beat. I couldn't lie to him. He'd know the truth. My heartbeat was like his instant Polygraph test.

"Yes," I squeaked. I did not possess the strength to deal with Edward's unwarranted anger again today. His honey eyes seemed to deepen a shade as his stealthy mind put the pieces together.

"Would you like to inform me why Jacob Black's _scent_ is all over your bed?" His jaw tensed fiercely.

"It's not what you think. Our dad's are friends. They were over tonight. We were talking about stuff. That's it." I didn't consider my answer a total lie.

"What stuff?" As he rose to tower over me, I began to lose all train of thought.

"I promised him I wouldn't tell." My eyes were betraying me by forming the all too familiar batch of tears they kept on hand for these occasions. Edward moved toward the opened window. "Can't you trust me?" Instantly he stopped with his back towards me. He knew that his own words had come back to haunt him just hours later.

"It's not you I don't trust, Bella. It's everyone else. I just want to keep you safe." I knew I should not be upset by his worry, but it seemed futile. Quickly he brushed his fingertips over my cheekbone.

"What's the point if I can't get hurt?" My comment only caused the anguish in his face to spread. I could see I had struck a nerve.

"Just because you can't get hurt doesn't mean I don't want anything to harm you. I want to be able to protect you. It's something I haven't been doing a very good job at lately.

"Please just stay?" My voice cracked softly. The only thing that could diffuse the situation was being in his arms. "This is the first time I've seen you in a week and you're darting off again… Just because I'm not in danger doesn't mean I don't want to see you," I whispered using his own words. Silently he gave in to my wishes and pulled a clean blanket out of my trunk in place of the potent comforter. As soon as I was situated beneath the covers he lowered himself down onto the mattress careful not to disturb me. With the several blankets between us, I found it almost impossible to feel the chill emitting from his body. The only clue I had to his low temperature was from his breath against my hair. I fought hard against the drowsiness that seemed to creep over me like a wave. My eyes never left his even as they attempted to droop closed. I could never have enough of his honey colored eyes. It was when he began to hum softly I knew any attempt at remaining awake was futile. But even as my eyes drifted closed, my mind was filled with worry if I would wake up to find him still next to me.

My dreams were only filled with nightmares as I tossed and turned for what seemed like eternity. Visions of Sylar and James blurred together in my mind, as did the burning pain they had caused. I could feel the heat pulsing from my neck while my body remembered the searing pain of what vampire venom had felt like when injected into my bloodstream. Then my mind would flicker to Sylar's cold face as he sliced me open like it was nothing. My vision was clouded with the curtains of blood that streamed from my head. As hard as my shaking hands tried to wipe it away, it still poured generously from the gaping wound. When my vision had cleared enough to decipher the images in front of me is when the nightmare worsened. Sylar had somehow morphed into what appeared to be Edward. I begged him to help me feeling dizziness descend on my body. Instead of rushing to save me, his lips curled up at the corners to form a smile. His teeth were bared to the extent of scaring me. Just as he had leaned to lunge toward me, my body shot up rigid and I screamed loudly. My eyes took in the sight of Edward sitting next to me with worry strewn across his face. As his large hands reached to comfort me, I felt my heart beat surge once more sending me tumbling backwards out of bed and right into my desk. My head cracked against it audibly. Before I could register what had been reality and what had been a dream, Charlie opened the door.

"Bella? Are you ok?" His voice jumbled as he observed my state of confusion. Gasping I nodded to him touching the back of my head. There was no blood thankfully.

"Nightmare," I mumbled crawling back into bed.

"If you need to talk about anything I'm always here for you," He reminded me as he retrieved my glass of water from my nightstand. Graciously I drank its entire contents not realizing how thirsty I was.

"Thank you, dad. I'm going to try to go back to bed now. Sorry for waking you up." He shrugged off my apology and shut my door. My eyes scanned the room for any signs of movement while I prayed Edward hadn't left me. "Please come back," I murmured no louder than a whisper. Slowly his shadow became visible from my closet as he stepped forward into the moonlight from his window. Agony distorted his stone-like face. He would not even raise his eyes to meet mine. "It was just a dream," I stated aloud trying to convince both of us. I could feel my shirt sticking to my back from the cold sweat my body was covered in.

"I'm sorry, Bella," Was all his lips could manage before he darted out the window leaving only the slight chime of the bells in his place. It was then that I finally let the tears begin to flow freely from my eyes. After twenty minutes of silent sobs, my body finally slipped back to sleep. This time it was dreamless.


	12. It's Not Over

I am so sorry for the lack of update. I became rather unsatisfied with the amount of readers as well as the lack of excitement on my part. Things have been hectic. But I had a tiny baby breakthrough tonight. We'll see if I finish, but here's where I've reached thus far. Again if you like this and want to see it finished let me know. As of right now it's looking rather grim. Please enjoy. =]

Chapter Twelve: It's Not Over

I did not expect to see Edward's Volvo in the driveway the next morning to cart us off to school. I had given up any hope that he'd be at school at all. One thing that drove me insane about him was his inability to face problems when it came to us. He could tackle a full-grown grizzly bear, but he couldn't find it in him to discuss our relationship. As these thoughts filtered through my brain all morning, I made no attempt at looking cute for the second day. Instead I pulled a worn red hooded sweatshirt over my disheveled hair and paired it with my favorite jeans. I did my best to tame my hair back into a ponytail. My stomach was still in knots from the previous night so I didn't eat anything for breakfast. I slipped on my worn sneakers and was out the door with my bag over my shoulder. I had grown accustomed to keeping my eyes down in search of anything that could possibly make me trip. Forks was practically a minefield for me. My eyes only flickered upward once I had reached the bottom of the stairs. I was stunned to find the Volvo humming quietly along the curb. The gentleman in Edward couldn't even resist opening the passenger door for me. I stood dumbfounded as he slid back into the driver's side. Silently I slid inside the car and shut the door. He slowly eased back onto the street.

"I wanted to apologize for my actions last night. I realize it was probably very confusing for you." His voice was once again as smooth as ever. "I was concerned when you told me about Jacob Black." Quickly my eyes flashed to his staring openly. "I was jealous." I nodded letting him continue. "But I think I understand now. He's like you, isn't he?" Technically I wasn't telling him, he was guessing instead. I nodded once more. "He's a shifter." My eyebrows creased in confusion as to how he could guess.

"How did you know that?" I finally spoke.

"I tracked the scent back to his house last night…He dreams as a dog. I figured that's what you couldn't tell me," He admitted. My hands clenched into fists against my legs.

"You _tracked_ him?" It was his turn to nod. "You didn't trust me, so you tracked him to figure out what I couldn't tell you."

"Bella, I was concerned about your safety. It wasn't a matter of trust. I just want to make sure that I'm doing my job of protecting you."

"Your job is to be with me. That's it. I don't know where you are lately." I tried desperately to keep my voice stable. Edward parked his car in his usual spot as silence fell over our conversation. I gathered my bag from beneath me and began making my way towards the buildings. I knew he would have no trouble keeping up with my pace.

"Bella, wait-" I felt his hand reach for my wrist stopping me. "I love you," His voice was so hushed I could barely hear him speak.

"Then trust me." I moved to turn away from him once more, jerking my arm out of his grasp. He sat next to me silently in every class. Not once did his mouth move to speak unless the teacher demanded it of him. My mind clouded with visions of Edward tracking Jacob's scent. He could have hurt him. Although I had only begun to remember my friendship with Jacob Black, I knew that I did not want to be the cause of any danger to him. I wondered how many times Edward had spied on friends and classmates, or even Charlie, to obtain more knowledge. The idea was slowly eating away at my brain as I tried to focus on school. By third period I could not keep the angry tears from welling up inside my eyes. I knew Edward's gaze would not leave me, so I followed my feet and made my way to the nearest restroom. Once I was safely stowed away, I splashed the cold water against my face in an attempt to regain some composure. I looked like a wreck. I could see a noticeable difference in my face. Eating had been a side note as of late. My cheekbones protruded slightly more than before. The circles under my eyes had only deepened in shade.

"Bella?" The sound of bells broke me from my thoughts. Alice was standing a few feet from the door watching me tentatively. "Are you alright?"

"Did your brother send you in here to check on me?" I snapped feeling my eyebrows crease. Her eyes widened at my harsh words.

"No. I saw a vision of you in here and I thought you could use some company actually," She responded very softly. I regretted jumping down her throat immediately. Flawlessly her slender hands retrieved a few tissues from her bag and handed them to me. I took them wordlessly and dried my eyes. "Would you care to tell me what's wrong?"

"Edward's acting strange. Like he knows something that I don't." I could see her try to hide the knowing look in her eyes as I spoke. "Tell me what you saw," I demanded.

"You know that my visions are always subjective. Anything can change it."

"Alice. Just tell me," I practically sneered at her.

"I promised him I wouldn't. I shouldn't be telling you any of this at all. He'll kill me. I just can't, Bella. Please understand-"

"I understand you're all trying to protect me for my own good, but are we ever going to actually face the fact that I can't feel _anything_. Even if I did get kidnapped or whatever, what's the worst thing that could happen? I wait it out until they get bored. That's all I am. A lab rat. Carlisle's probably been itching to get his hands on me since it happened." The words shot from my lips like venom. Alice made no attempt to speak. She knew my words were true. "You're not the only one that knows what it's like to be a _freak_." I shoved passed her and tried to make my way through the sea of people trying to get to the cafeteria. I steered clear knowing Edward would have heard every single one of my words I had just spit at Alice. Instead I parked myself in the empty hallway near my locker. I laid my head back against the hard tile letting my eyes slip closed. Sleep seemed moments away before I heard the distinct sound of someone clearing his or her throat. My eyes flashed open to see the form of Jacob towering over me.

"I hope you don't mind I made a few marks…" He handed the worn book back towards me. I shook my head as I slowly set the book in my lap. "Thank you so much. I guess I'm a specific shifter since I can only turn into different types of dogs. There's not as much on it as yours, but it was still really helpful."

"I'm glad I could help," I managed to choke out. I brushed my fingertips over the raised title of the book hoping to gain some comfort from the velvety feel.

"So I take it things aren't going well with the boyfriend?" It didn't take a genius to see that I was upset.

"That's putting it lightly."

"Is he…like us? He looks like he could be. He knows about you though, right? I imagine it's not too easy to hide for very long?" He tried his best keep his voice light.

"He knows. That seems to be the problem." I prayed that I could keep my strength. I didn't want to cry in front of him.

"Jealous?" Somehow I managed to hold my laughter back. The only thing Edward was jealous of was Jake.

"Secretive. I get the feeling that he's hiding something from me. Something big. It's killing me not to know." I didn't dare approach the topic of Edward's extra abilities. Rosalie had just started to be cordial towards me. If I spilled to Jacob, she'd have absolutely no problem finding a way to end my unremitting life.

"Maybe you should just try talking to him about it?" I felt Jake's hand fall against my bent knee. Once again the overwhelming warmth surprised me. I didn't pull away from his touch. Curiosity had gotten the best of me. We sat in silence for a while, neither of us feeling the need to fill the empty air. For once the stillness did not seem awkward. We both realized that words were unnecessary when we knew what the other was thinking.

It was only when Edward sharply turned the corner that Jake removed his caressing hand. I knew Edward already knew what had transpired. His eyes smoldered as they glared toward Jacob. Silently Jake rose nodding in my direction.

"Jacob," Edward stated flatly as his only greeting.

"I was just keeping her company. Didn't your father teach you it isn't polite to keep a girl waiting?" My mouth nearly dropped open at his comment. I knew it was taking everything inside of Edward not to lunge forward and eliminate his competition. He had to know it wasn't like that. Jacob was a companion. A friend who was afflicted with the same problem.

"May I speak to you in private please?" He didn't even bother justifying Jacob with a response. Instead he turned his focus towards me. I followed him down the empty hall my heart thudding all the way. Slowly he lead us out to where I had first became aware of what kind of a creature Edward really was. Nearly half a year later we were back in the same woods were Edward had attempted to feast on my blood and my body had resisted. It was where we discovered how perfect we were for each other in some twisted way. I sat against the same fallen tree trunk from that day waiting for him to speak. I picked wordlessly at the worn sleeves of my hooded sweatshirt. "We're going away for a while," He said flatly. My mind tried to formulate a coherent thought.

"We as in…"

"My family and me. It's getting a bit crowded here. Carlisle can't keep his secret from the hospital much longer. We've agreed it's probably time to move on." In that moment I could feel the halt in my breathing and heartbeat. I couldn't bring myself to look up into his eyes. I didn't bring myself to speak. "This is for the best," He added. He stood calmly in front of me as if he were telling me about the weather and not breaking my heart in two. "Are you going to say something?"

"You've already made up your mind. No amount of convincing from me will change it, will it? You'll do what you want no matter what I ask of you." I half expected my voice to break in the middle of my statement but instead it remained flat. "If you're waiting for tears, you're going to leave disappointed. I wouldn't give you the satisfaction," I spat heatedly.

"Bella, I don't want to hurt you. That was never my intention."

"You're sure doing one hell of a job then. Why did you come back at all? To torture me for a few more days? To make sure I was sufficiently miserable without you?" His eyes narrowed as I spoke. I wanted so badly to catch a glimpse of the vision he was trying so desperately to stop from happening. Maybe it was our life together if he refused to cease my aging. Just the thought of watching myself grow more and more wrinkled as he remained flawless made my stomach churn.

"You don't know anything."

"Because you make sure that I'm kept in the dark about everything."

"I'm trying to protect you!" It was the first time he had ever raised his voice towards me. I could feel the fire burning behind his eyes as he snapped. His hands shook lightly at his sides.

"It's too _late_. Sylar got what he wanted. There's no _point_. I don't know how many times I can say it." My rage flickered up as well as we fought about the same thing that had been plaguing our relationship.

"You should be with Jacob. He's safer for you. I promise to leave you alone from now own. I'll let you lead a normal life."

"Normal? I'm not normal and I never will be! I can't get hurt, I can't _die_."

"Goodbye, Bella." He leaned in to brush his cold lips against my forehead. Roughly I pushed him away from me. I managed to shove him back a few inches startling him.

"I find it amazing that I can't feel pain, but somehow you managed to find a way that I can." My voice quivered. I couldn't tell whether or not my comment had affected him. He seemed to have already put on his autopilot. "I guess I'm just damaged goods now, huh?"

"Be safe," He whispered as he turned and began walking out of the woods. It wasn't long until his angular form vanished from my line of sight entirely. He didn't even have to use his speed to flee the scene. It was as if all the pain I had missed in the past had concentrated solely on my heart. Every beat seemed labored and slow as if it didn't want to come at all. Soon all the anger and hatred gave way to something much more vulnerable. Fear. Fear like I hadn't felt in years. I didn't even know that a pain this great existed. To know that the one thing I wanted more than anything in this world, the one thing I would never stop until my last breathe didn't feel the same way was the greatest pain that I had ever felt in all my existence. My eyes couldn't formulate any more tears seeing as every ounce of energy in my body was pouring towards my anguished heart.

Slowly my body sank down against the fallen tree trunk behind me. I pulled my legs up to my chest resting my heavy head against my knees. Breathing didn't seem to be quite as automatic as it once had five minutes before. I fought hopelessly to keep my intake of breath even. For once in my life I truly felt like I had been shattered. The impenetrable girl had finally fallen.


End file.
